Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only.
This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.
You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

You will need to register before adding a comment.
Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.

Please be polite.
It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.
If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them.

CHILLICOTHE – In 1974, Scott McNeal — AKA Gus Macker — started a tradition in his own parents' driveway in Lowell, Michigan.

What started out as 18 friends playing basketball turned into a 3-on-3 basketball phenomenon that now spans over 75 cities and includes 200,000 participants.

Chillicothe has been one of those 75 cities for the past 24 years. This weekend, the city held its 25th annual Gus Macker tournament at Ohio University-Chillicothe.

"Macker and Chillicothe go together. They're one in the same," Macker staffer Randy Drewyor said. "Chillicothe has been a legend in the Macker circuit over the years. In our hay day, we've even trained a lot of cities on how to host the tournament. And the key is having local people who want to bring it to your city. That's what really makes the wheels turn."

During Chillicothe's 25 year tournament history, the city has held the event in three different locations — downtown, Chillicothe High School and OU-C.

"I think flexibility has been the key," Drewyor said. "I'd like to see it back downtown some day and I think there's some interest from the community towards that goal. But the fact is that we have moved it and we've still held it every year so that does say a lot."

While players continue to hoop on the courts, local business continue to thrive every year when Macker time comes around on the calendar.

"You see a lot of people from all around come here for this," Drewyor said. "I've seen teams in local hotels, restaurants and businesses. So you've got to believe that it has had a significant impact on local financial institutions. The main thing is the visibility that the businesses are getting when they are a part of the event. They get exposed with the participants from all around the state. Overall, it's a very positive thing for the city."

The tournament will run through Sunday — including championship games and the annual Slam Dunk Contest — after a rain filled first day, all day Saturday.

"I was joking with someone a little while ago and was saying that this was probably the worst Saturday I've had in 25 years in terms of the weather," Drewyor said. "But we kept on going. That says a lot about these folks. They understand that we play through it. It's not been completely hitch free but under the circumstances, you can't complain. Tomorrow, hopefully it'll be nice and we'll roll on through championship Sunday."